California Farm Workers in the Winter of 1964
Harvey Richards took this photo on New Years Day, January 1, 1964 in Stockton, California. Big businesses in agriculture love migrant workers who can pick a crop and move on. Where did they go after the crops were picked in 1964? (And some things have not changed.) To places like Stockton where charities serve free food. Growers support such charities to insure they have a supply of labor when spring finally arrives. For the growers, anyway. The men in the top photo are standing near a fire in a 50 gallon drum keeping warm while waiting for the breadline to start moving. Homelessness is a built-in feature for workers in agriculture who are paid less than it costs to have a home and eat too.
See California Farm Workers Photography for more videos and photos by Harvey Richards on this subject.
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